Desiderata
by Rawiyah
Summary: Sparrow finds himself in yet, another, misfortunate dilemma. But, when his own wit and cleverness does not save him, he needs to rely on his faithful, though, unorthodox friend… and their adventure redefines their friendship completely. No slash. c:
1. Placid Amid Noise and Haste

Desiderata

Summary: Sparrow finds himself in yet, another, misfortunate dilemma. But, when his own wit and cleverness does not save him, he needs to rely on his faithful, though, unorthodox friend… and their adventure redefines their friendship completely.

Takes place before CoTBP.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One: Placid amid Noise and Haste<strong>

**. . .**

"Mmmm…" She moaned softly beneath her breath. The night was cold, damp, yet beneath the covers of her bed, she was hot. She was on fire. As was he, and he panted softly, moving himself against her gently. They both moaned softly in ecstasy… their voices ever so soft, so that no one would hear them. Fingers trailing each other's skin… caressing their faces, their thighs. Ah, and despite their sweaty composure, they smelled of exotic spices and Irish springs.

The coupling was hot, sexy, and ever so romantic. What, since her husband had died, she'd been longing for someone to grant her the same attention that her husband had… and this; this was all she could have ever hoped for. Her face was flushed, and her thick, curly red hair splayed across the mattress, creating waves of crimson that framed her heart shaped face… Her freckles were buried in a shade of pink… her breath labored, as she looked into those chocolate, kohl framed eyes of his…

She never wanted it to end. No, she loved Jack Sparrow… within minutes, the flame of passion begun to fade out, and he laid himself beside her on the bed, holding her closely to his chest, purring softly in her ear, sending shots of shivers straight down her spine, to her toes. She closed her eyes… mouthing the words, "I love you" as her sleepiness finally begun to take her to the land of blackness and dreams…

She woke to the warmth of the sun as it leaked in through the open window of her room. She smiled, turning her head.

"Ah… Jack." She hummed, giggling softly… She lifted her hand from underneath her body and felt her arm for Jack's hand… She, however, opened her eyes immediately when she felt nothing there… And the warmth of the sun, she had confused for the warmth of Jack's body. She bolted upright in her bed and threw off the sheets from the mattress, stripping it bare to reveal the painful truth that Jack had up and left her. She cursed herself for her stupidity… she should have known, huh?

"Eejit!" She screamed, picking up a pillow and ruthlessly beating the empty space where Jack had lain. "Numpty! Arr! Ya bas! And tha poor blighter 'ad a face like a skelpit erse. Ah…" She took another powerful swat at the emptiness on her bed, causing loud ruckus and drawing attention to the open window… A wandering passersby could easily hear the commotion going on through the open window, and were more tempted to approach it and peer inside. She let out a long, loud, string of curses… "Ah can't believe ah fell fer tha! Tha kindness! BULLSH-!"

Mothers covered their children's ears as they passed the open window… And some rebellious teens stood near the frame, listening to the woman swear and curse, and they giggled with each word… Feathers were flying in all directions and floating out from the window magically… creating more suspicion amongst the townsfolk outside. Creating more giggles, and more stink eyes from elderly folks, not wanting to hear the woman let out her frustration.

. . .

Seagulls cry softly in the distance, as Jack leans against the rails of the ship, his head facing the deep, dark, misty ocean... yet his focus rested entirely on the one ring he had collected. And the new bags of other gold items as well. He was... enchanted, almost. Haunted, by the beauty in the ring he had taken from the woman. _She dosen't need it anyway..._ He thought._ 'Er damned 'usband is dead anyhow._

"Back so soon?" Bootstrap Bill says… Jack looks at him and smirks, wondering, again, why he had allowed himself to be stuck with this idiot for so long…

"…n'yeah." Jack mumbles softly, he turns his head and begins to wiggle onto his finger, the lovely gold and black ring. The sun simmers against it, creating a wonderfully golden glint, catching Bootstrap's attention. He only chuckled softly in his throat and shook his head, in a mix between disbelief and an attitude as, 'How did I _not _expect this?'.

"… You're kiddin' me." He mumbles, soft enough to not have spoken… yet loud enough for Jack to hear. The captain was caught off guard somewhat, and he flexed his fingers, making sure that the ring fit nice and snug on his finger.

"Wot?" He asked, hiding his hand away, trying not to be guilt-tripped by any one else today.

"That ri-"

"Okay!" Jack cut in, not wanting to hear the long, conversation. Even though, Bootstrap wasn't one to hold long conversations, he wanted to avoid being seen in an odd shade of light, for surely, any man who dare steal a widow's wedding ring would be doomed to the fiery depths of hell… "Yeah. I took it from her…"

"… I wasn't asking."

"Of course you weren't." Jack snarled, softly… not fully intending for his comment to reach Bootstraps ears. The two fell silent and Bootstrap slowly slipped away and disappeared from the deck of _The Black Pearl. _Jack smirked, knowing full-well that though what he did was entirely wrong, Bootstrap would not tell a soul.

And it came to past, the day Jack Sparrow actually remembered that he had accomplished the task that he had set out to do! Yes… He simply needed the money. He frowned at how he 'sold' himself so cheap… seducing a poor widow, then taking her belongings.

"Well…" Jack spoke to himself in his cabin… The shadows were his only audience, as the men were robustly working on deck. "… If she was stupid enough to sleep with me… she should have known better." He nodded slowly, liking the silence that greeted him back, all but the distant shouts and the gentle pounding of boots upon the deck. "I shouldn't feel guilty." He assured himself. "She had in comin' poor lass…"

His eyes wandered to the shiny, black and gold ring on his finger. It glinted at him with a demonic light, sneering and laughing as though waiting for him to fall to pieces. He snarled at it, thinking to himself… "It's… just a ring." He could imagine seeing her… The beautiful widow. What was her name? Lily? Laura? Loretta…? The name could not come into his mind, yet… he could see her. Standing at the alter with her thick, red hair tied up into a large bun on the top of her head… Her red lips pouting slightly against her light, milky skin that was lightly sprinkled with freckles. That beautiful smile. And a lovely white dress that shimmered beautifully in the sunlight… He could almost feel the happiness in the ring. The warm memories that he had stolen.

"Bugger…" He mouthed.

. . .

So, when a pirate swipes a fair penny… where does it go? Tortuga!

Once they tied up at the dock, the crew dispensed around the isle of Tortuga, picking up women, picking up new crew members, picking up gold, or anything that caught their interest. Jack watched from a distance, as he noticed Barbossa walking away from a market venue, a green apple loosely tucked into his pocket… still shining in the moonlight. Jack sighed… wondering how he'd ever picked such a crew.

He looked around, the women were all the same… He was getting tired of having the same old- same old nights in Tortuga… With the women with their large breasts, full lips and pale skin. Their large Antoinette wings and their obnoxious laughter. He felt a snarl creep onto his face and he shook the thoughts from his head… feeling sullied that he had slept with most of them. No, he needed a change for once…

But where? Tortuga was a port of consistency… Nothing changed here. Sighing, Jack relied on his old philosophy of life. "It's much better when seen from the bottom of a glass." He sauntered over to the Captain's Daughter… preparing to speak loudly and guzzle as much rum as his body could take.

Meandering inside of the tavern, Jack's attention was first drawn to a beautiful woman in the center of the room… His jaw dropped a little, and his eyes widened as he stared. It was no wonder she was the center of attention. Many tall, buff pirate men surrounded her, attempting to grope her body and offer their sweetest talk while drunk. She had such an innocent giggle, and with her voice, she held the power to swoon almost any man…

"Oh, boys…" She giggled. "You really can't tempt me with your soft words and sweet music." Jack watched helplessly as the strong, sailor men that surrounded her turn to jelly and melt to their feet. It was frightening…! How much power a woman, _A WOMAN,_ could hold over such air-headed blighters.

"Unscrupulous strumpet." A gruff, tired voice spoke to Jack from the shadows, causing the now, terrified pirate to turn on his heels and glare madly into the darkness.

"Ibegyourpardon?" He spat.

"She comes 'round here everyday… hoping to build some kind o' name for herself…" The voice spoke, then was taken over by a tough coughing fit. Jack peered closely into the shadows to see who it was that was speaking, and he approached the dark table cautiously. When he gave up, he reached for a nearby candlestick and held it into the shadows, revealing a man… A much older man, with a dirty face and sorrowful eyes. He had a nice cigar between his teeth and a wooden mug halfway filled. When the light reached his eyes, he held up his hands, which were scratched and dirtied as well, to protect his dull eyes.

"Ah. The gal over yonder?" Jack asked, taking a quick glance over his shoulder to gaze at her beauty once more.

"Yar." The man responded. "She looks promisin', but don't associate with lower class folk like her." He chuckled idly, taking a long swing from his mug, then pounding the cup onto the wood of the table with such force that the sound made Jack jump back a little. "… She's awful fond of takin' things that don't belong to her."

"Oh." Jack nodded in understanding, feeling awful now… That he had lowered himself to be just like the strumpet yonder. Sleeping with other people just to steal their belongings. Surely, Captain Jack Sparrow was now the lowest scum of the earth had everyone known what he'd done… and to a poor widow! He growled softly in his throat and turned his head.

"Yar an odd lookin' fellow." The man said.

"I can't tell if that's a compliment or not."

"Take it as you want. But I didn't mean it as a compliment…"

Jack was at a loss for words, and he simply nodded and took the liberty of sitting down beside the old man. Setting the candlestick down beside them to shed some light. The older man coughed, and Jack took this opportunity to study the man… When you looked at his face, he wasn't_ that_ much older than Jack. Yes, he was possibly old enough to be Jack's father… yet, his age did not compare to Captain Teague's. The man had another harsh, coughing fit. Jack opened his mouth to speak once more, before hesitating and closing his mouth again.

"Mm. I've seen better days." The man chuckled. Jack nodded awkwardly, not quite knowing how to respond to a statement like that… He realized that the giggling and the cooing had faded off, and he turned over his shoulder and looked to the spot where the beautiful woman used to be. In her place… there stood a rather ugly, older woman… Still making silent giggling gestures. Her long, thick hair was now thinned and grey and her lovely tan skin was now dull and pale. Her lush lips were thin, cracked and bleeding… and the strong, brave sailors that surrounded her… all turned into short, buck-toothed donkeys.

Jack shuddered, and in a blink, the loud, obnoxious laughter of hers and the way the men cooed had all gone silent… It felt like just him and the old man now. He heard the soft, gentle tap of the wooden mug hitting the wood of the table, and Jack's attention turned back to the mysterious old man he had met…

"_Go placidly amid the noise and the haste…"_ He said. "_And remember what peace there may be in silence_."

Jack raised an eyebrow, watching as the man lifted the mug to his lips once more, finishing off his mug of rum.

"What be your name?" Jack asked.

"Gibbs." The man replied… "Joshamee Gibbs."

Jack gave a crooked smile, his golden teeth glinting devilishly in the candlelight, making Gibbs smirk as well. Together, they sat in complete silence, (despite the loudness of the tavern, what, with the ladies fighting and the men laughing hysterically.) none of them even stirred at the noise around them, and they were, indeed, placid amid the chaos.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes:<p>

I'm NOT dead! :D

I haven't written anything, in a super long time. In case you didn't notice, this fiction is loosely based upon the concept of "Desiderata". In case you didn't know, as well, "Desiderata" means, "Desired things" and it is a short-ish poem about happiness and life.

In AWE, one of the Jack replica's is seen half nude, and sporting this poem tattooed across his chest, shoulders and back. (*To jog your memory, he's the replica that Jack stabs.) Got me to thinking, "Now, why would Jack pick _that_ poem?"

That, and I like writing friendship/adventure stories. I decided to make Gibbs his partner is crime.

Happy reading. Reviews are very helpful, especially when you add some constructive criticism, or suggestions. It helps me with plot development, character development and the prevention of plot holes or inconsistency. Also, if I happened to miss some grammar or spelling, please let me know! (It's embarrassing when you realize you've spelled some word wrong, but it happens to the best of us!)

Thanks, again!

- Rawiyah


	2. Be On Good Terms with All Persons

Desiderata

Summary: Sparrow finds himself in yet, another, misfortunate dilemma. But, when his own wit and cleverness does not save him, he needs to rely on his faithful, though, unorthodox friend… and their adventure redefines their friendship completely.

Takes place before CoTBP.

* * *

><p>Chapter Two: Be on Good Terms with All Persons<p>

It was as if fate had put them together… as it had! And within no time, Jack was already leading the elder man up the ramp to the deck of the Black Pearl. It was a dark, misty night, and everyone was still awake in Tortuga. Laughing, screaming, moaning, crying, it didn't matter! The noise was endless, and Jack had to yell to Gibbs as they were climbing the ramp.

It was odd to the crew. To see Jack walking up the ramp with an old man trailing behind him, wearily, carrying a large satchel filled with his personal belongings, however few he had… Barbossa was the first to give a cross glance towards the both of them. However, he held his tongue, and only watched carefully, as Jack continued laughing with the old man, leading him across the deck. The rest of the crew watched on, still slightly confused and curious as to whom this new stranger was that Jack was bringing aboard. And such an old man, indeed!

"He'll likely die of old age before we even make it out of port!" One of the crewmen whispered to the other, just loud enough for Barbossa to hear. Jack, however, being oblivious to his crew's sudden change in pace and their peeking curiosity, either chose to ignore the comment, or did not hear it. We are hoping the latter. "Look at the way his hair is already graying… surely, he is much too old be aboard this ship! What the hell is wrong with Jack? Recruiting such old members!" Another member of the crew chanting in, whispering loudly.

Jack heard that one, and they could tell, as Jack's gay persona suddenly changed, and his smiled literally dropped into a heavy scowl on his face. He turned around at first, to see who it was that dare make such a bold remark, yet no one in the crew said anything else, and they all continued on with their work as though they did not see anything. Jack glanced around, watching the men let down the sails and watching them scurry across the deck like rats on a kitchen floor.

He turned around again, to face Gibbs. Then, he leaned in closely to the older man, whispering softly,

"Ye didn't catch that too, did ye?"

"Eh?" Gibbs reply was soft, and almost sarcastic in tone… Yet, he was pretty humble about the entire incident. "Mmm. I'm afraid me ol' ears didn't 'catch' any of whatever it be you're mentionin'!" Jack grinned, his golden teeth gave off a soft glint in the moonlight… but Jack's teeth were not the only things that made a nice, bright and shiny glint in the moonlight. Gibb's attention was suddenly drawn to a fair sized ring, snuggly fit on Jack's finger. It was black and gold… and such a beautiful shade of gold too!

"T'is a lovely ring ya got there." Gibbs said, casually. This, caused Jack to become jumpy, and his answers, which used to be long, funny and easy to respond to, become short, choppy and to the point.

Jack nervously glanced at the ring to which Gibbs was referring too, and he nodded. "Yup."

"I'd bet my bottom doll'ar t'is worth quite a pretty penny." Gibbs gave a crooked smile.

"Oh yeah." Jack said quickly, and he began to take Gibb's things and set them up with one of the hammocks that was strung up under the cabin. "Yup."

"Mmm. But, y'know Jack… now that I look at it, it doesn't look like any regular ol'e ring, y'know."

"Oh." Jack tried his best now to avoid all eye contact with Gibbs. He knew, had the man known that Jack had slept with a widow, **a widow** just so that he could steal from her, he'd be blackmailed as an unworthy captain, Pirates steal, pirates cheat, but none would ever stop so low as to sell themselves for such a cheap price. And what, with the superstitions going around… Jack is most likely to be cursed! For taking advantage of a widow, nonetheless.

"Mmm…" Gibbs hummed softly, making Jack even more jumpy, and even more nervous. Jack fiddled with the fabric of Gibb's satchel idly, just so that he could keep his hands busy and he slowly, but obviously, hid his fingers away in a failing attempt to not expose himself to his newly befriended stranger… To his surprise, Gibbs said nothing.

"…eh…" Jack paused a minute, to search for the words in his brain, and when he managed to grab them out of the air, his composure regenerated, and he spoke, clearly, with the exception of slight slurs here and there, "It's great to have you aboard, Mr. Gibbs!" He gave a cocky smile, to which Mr. Gibbs did not respond, "I'm sure you'll find _The Black Pearl_ to be anything you could ever hope for in a ship."

"Well…" Gibbs glanced around, eyeing the structure of the ship, dissecting it with his eyes, looking for something, something that he could find to make fun of. But to his shock, Jack kept the ship in mint condition. Everything was clean, scrubbed; there was no mold, no disintegration, and no rust. There was not even the musty scent of decaying wood. Nope. Nothing. "… The sails are a'bit o' a gloomy color, I've got to admit."

Jack's eyes beamed proudly. "Black is a mysterious color, and ye can't see the ship as well a' night with black sails now, can ye?" This caught Gibbs by surprise yet again! Here, he was thinking that Jack was a young, naïve man who wanted to become some great Captain overnight… He did not expect for Jack to be so clever.

In minutes, just thinking about The Black Pearl had made Jack seem so happy. He was glowing, certainly.

"This ship is me heart and soul." He smiled, looking towards the floor as though speaking to himself in seclusion rather than directly at Gibbs. "I earned it, y'know. Saved for it all me life… It's me life. Me flesh an' blood t'is!" _It's me baby. _His mind spoke, yet his tongue knew better. How pansy-like would that sound had he said it aloud! A blush crept onto his cheeks, though, cleverly hidden in the shadows casted by his long dreadlocks.

"Well." Gibbs began, and he cleared his throat before continuing to speak, "You are certainly a man o' yer word, then." He nodded, pleased to see such a clean ship. Truth be told, this was possibly the tidiest ship Gibbs had ever had the honor to sail on. It caused Gibbs to smile. It was about time an honest pirate started keeping a tidy ship.

. . .

It started off as gunfire. Yet, in the midst of the loud snoring, and the soft whistling of air as it passed through congested nostrils, it was awfully hard to hear… yet, Gibbs heard it. He heard it from long miles away, when the loud cracks had set off for the first time. He had heard it, and he lay awake on his hammock, with eyes fixated on the wooden boards above his head.

He waited to hear it again. As expected, "bang!" another gunshot was set off, and Gibbs slid out from underneath his sheet and he quickly scaled the steps to where the captain's cabin was located. It was awfully late and very, very dark still. Just twilight, indeed, and at first, Gibbs worried of upsetting Jack by waking him so early. He lightly tapped his knuckles on the door gently, calling out, "Jack!" in a loud whisper. Then, he paused to listen for a response.

He was greeted with a loud, drunken snore coming from the other side of the wooden door. Of course! Jack _would _sleep drunk… Gibbs didn't hesitate anymore, and another loud "BANG!" rang through the sky, sending some seagulls to fly away, crying out. Gibbs pounded on the cabin door, and he called for Jack loudly, "Jack! Jack, wake up!"

There was some mumbling on the other side of the door, but Gibbs kept pounding until the sleeping being on the other side was fully awake. And it was quite obvious, too, once Jack had finally arisen, as Gibbs could hear feet stumbling across the wooden floor, glasses breaking and objects falling over, hitting the wood again, causing some eerie squeaks and groans. Another gunshot rang, and Gibbs turned to face the dark ocean, yet, seeing nothing on the water…

The door opened, and Gibbs was greeted by a flushed face. Jack was in a cold sweat, and his hair had begun to stick to his cheeks. The captain's eyes rolled in their sockets for a minute before coming in focus with the older man who was now staring, half with concern, and half with panic. Gibbs cleared his throat,

"Sir…" He started. Jack opened his mouth as though to say something, but the only thing that came out was a long, loud slurred word. Jack's speech was so slurred, in fact, that Gibbs could not understand him. He used his best judgment, and decided that the Captain was giving him permission to speak. "Sir, I believe we may be… being under attack." He wasn't shocked to realize that Jack was stumbling over, and he offered himself to be used as a steadying pole for Jack to hold onto, so that he could avoid an unnecessary fall.

Jack groped Gibbs' chest for a minute, looking to find where the man's face was… as… his vision was so terribly blurred that he could not see.

"Whuh?" He mumbled.

"ATTACK, Sir." Gibbs responded, much louder, this time, hoping that if anything… that one word would make it passed the alcohol that clouded the captain's brain. He waited a moment, and another gunshot rang out, this time, alarming Jack as well. But, this time, a strong blow hit the side of the ship, the impact was so great that the ship rocked slightly. Jack knew that The _Black Pearl_ had been hit!

In that moment, it was as though Jack magically sobered up, and he pushed himself up to stand tall, without stumbling around….much.

Jack turned around into his cabin to quickly grab his jacket and hat and he lifted his fist into the air as though making a battle cry for war…

"All hands on deck!" He cried, "All hands on deck!" Though, all of the crewmembers were already awake, as the cannon had produced such noise and havoc on the ship… A gaping hole in the middle of the hull of the ship, causing the poor thing to creak and groan in agony, breaking Jack's heart at the same time as it made it bitter.

"Movement!" He yelled, and finally, he saw some crewmembers emerging onto the quarterdeck. All were frantic, and they scurried across the wood, each taking their positions by the gun ports, fixing the masts, and moving the shrouds to be sure they would not lose this battle. "Gibbs!" Jack yelled… Which, he needn't do. For Gibbs was still standing right beside him as he was the entire time. "Check the main hatch!"

"Aye, Sir!" Gibbs responded, yet… as the old man began to move forward across the deck… an large, ominous shadow slowly began to swallow the ship… and then, a much larger, darker, ship appeared on the waters in front of them. It reeked of bad omen… yet Gibbs held his tongue. Putting faith in his Captain that Jack would notice this as well…

They waited quietly, and the entire sea became silent. There was not even a cough or sneeze… and it was so silent that you could hear a pin dropping into the ocean waters had you dropped it. Then, a voice… from the other ship, as now they were both within screaming distance of each other.

"Ahoy!" A voice called.

Jack was silent, and at first, did not respond. But he sauntered over to the railing of the deck and peered into the darkness to see, exactly who it was that was calling out to him. It couldn't possibly be a crew member, no… What sort of captain would allow for that? Ah! It was genius in Jack's brain. It was the captain of the ship! Most indefinitely!

They both ceased fire, and the Captain yelled out to them again,

"That be just a warnin' shot! Ah'll board yer ship, we'll discuss a cease fire!"

Jack did not quite agree with the idea, yet with a lot of coaxing from Gibbs, he agreed, seeing as how The _Black Pearl_ was fast, the fastest ship on the entire sea… yet, their guns had incredibly long distance range… It would not matter how far the Black Pearl could sail, it would still not leave undamaged by the other ship's cannons.

The captain of the _Dainty Virgin _had boarded the _Black Pearl,_ and together, he and Jack descended into the cabin to discuss this "cease fire".

. . .

"T'isn't a safe night to be out sailin'." The Dainty Virgin's captain spoke to Jack as though he were a young child… Which, offended the dark haired captain. Jack stared into the man's eyes, seeing something which resembled a sort of evil, which Jack could not place a finger upon. Indeed, the man was much older than Jack was. His hair was greying and wrinkled stretched out the skin of his face, making him look pruned. Even his voice was dusty and crackled as his spoke.

They sat at the table, candlight created more shadows across both of their faces, and it seemed as though there were both engaged in a nonverbal staring contest… that was, until Jack spoke.

"We've already wasted all our plunder." He said. "We have nothing to offer."

"Aye. So ye may think." The man responded. He glanced down at the ring on Jack's finger. "T'is a fine ring ye got th'arr, laddie." Jack glanced down at the ring, and again, he felt haunted by the memories that he had stolen. His mind went first, to the widow. He imagined her lying her bed, tears staining her cheeks, her thick, curly red hair was full of static, and unruly on her head. Those eyes… filled with sorrow, and longing for her lost husband. And Jack had stolen what she had left of him… he took that last joy, that last memory away from her… And he crushed her hopes in the process.

"Aye. I'tis." Jack mumbled.

"Aye." He cleared his throat, watching as Jack slowly looked up at him from behind those long, dreadlocks. Jack already looked defeated, as it read in his eyes… pain. The older man gave a crooked smile, and he nodded, continuing to speak. "Bet it cost ye a pretty penny, ey?"

"No…" Jack whined. It was more so to himself than to the pirate captain who sat across from him. The silence worried Jack, and he slipped his hands underneath the table, hoping for an "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" effect.

"Mmmm. Well. Laddie-" The man began.

"Captain Jack." Jack stepped in.

"Whatever. See… I'll cease my fire on yer dear lil boat… ar.. I meant ship," Jack's eyes narrowed and his face began to go pink with some anger that anyone DARE call him beautiful _Black Pearl_… a boat. ", and ye just give us the ring."

"That's all?" Jack was in disbelief. Honestly, this ring could simply not be THAT important that it could wage war?

"And half ye plunder."

"T'is just a ring." Jack smirked. "Just a ring, ah took from some sorry lookin' widow, ye see."

"That 'sorry lookin'' wid'ah ye be refferin' to be Sir William Jackson's daughter."

Jack felt as though he'd just stepped into a large pile of shit… and he could feel the nausea washing over him already as it became quicksand under his foot and began to swig him into the ground. He could not breathe… He could not think straight. Sir Francis Drake? Sure, he was a traitor to his own! Yet… he was one of the most powerful pirates on the seven seas… what, with the British Navy supporting his wellbeing… his crew… Jack shivered.

"Ar' we alright for a deal, Sparrow?" The Captain smiled, standing up in his chair to reach across the table, offering a hand to Jack. "I'm sure, Mr. Jackson will be pleased to know that his daughter may rest in peace knowing that her ring is safe and sound."

This made Jack frown, and he stood up from where he sat, and stared at the man's hand. He felt a sudden rage, and he decided against being defeated so easily.

"We have no deal." Jack said.

"Really, now?" The old man chuckled. "And just… how far does ye think yer go'nna make it without cooperation, eh?"

"We'll go as far as we can without surrender…. Sir." Jack added, rather harshly however, as he spat out the word as though it were vile poison in his mouth. The old man's brow furrowed, and his smile was wiped clean off his face.

"I see ye won't get very far, then…" And with that, he pushed away his chair, and escorted himself out of Jack's cabin.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes:<p>

Just saying! According to Johnny Depp, Jack Sparrow_ really did_ sleep with a widow and he _really did_ steal her ring. In fact, the gold and black ring that Jack wears, is the ring that he stole from the widow, you see.

William Jackson is an actual historical person! I don't own him, I'm not that creative. He was a privateer. British. Around the 1700's. (I wanted to use Sir Francis Drake, but he was a few decades too soon for the PoTC.)

I did make up the other ship's name, though. So. Yep.

Sorry for being slow. Happy reading!

R & R. Let me know if you catch mistakes. Thanks. (:


	3. Comparison to Others Makes You Bitter

Desiderata

Summary: Sparrow finds himself in yet, another, misfortunate dilemma. But, when his own wit and cleverness does not save him, he needs to rely on his faithful, though, unorthodox friend… and their adventure redefines their friendship completely.

Takes place before CoTBP.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: Comparison to Others Makes You Bitter<strong>

It was as though everyone stopped breathing… the entire ocean became quiet, save for the sound of the men's hearts thumping away loudly in their ribcages, threatening to break through and explode.

Jack was not afraid, however. No, instead, an unexplainable rage had built up inside of him… a sudden hatred for that Captain, that he could not contain, and he hissed quietly, between his teeth. So quietly, that it could not be heard. He was seething, and Gibbs, who was now standing nearer by, could tell. And this worried him.

"Sir…" Barbossa now, called to Jack from behind. "Awaitin' yar orders, Sir."

Jack did not respond. He just continued to stare at the ominous black shadow that rested on the horizon, which was, their enemy's ship. He knew that they were just waiting for their attack. He knew, _The__Black__Pearl_ would never be able to outrun their cannon… never mind how fast the ship was, she was no match for their long-range guns. Seconds felt like hours… and they were stuck. Jack knew they couldn't run… but he was afraid _The__Black__Pearl_ would not be able to bring their ship down. It was either be sunk far away from the enemy, or be sunk up close.

Jack thought to himself… he had made the promise to fight without surrender… But he felt he'd rather die at sea far from the view of his enemy, rather than dying up close. After a few long, long moments of nothing but staring out into the open sea, Jack finally called out some orders…

"Mr. Gibbs!" He called. Gibbs was not standing too far, and either way, the crew was so quiet that Jack's voice rang throughout the sea and echoed off it's own loudness…

"Yessir?"

"… Prepare to turn her around…" Jack spoke softly… it was a painful decision to make, and it almost hurt so badly that he was physically aching from it. His senses became dull, and Mr. Gibb's loud, booming voice sounded like soft airy whispers in his head, and he could feel the wind blowing his long locks of hair as the crew began to turn the Black Pearl so that her rudder was facing their enemy…

Time stopped when the first shot was heard. A hole was blown right through the Black Pearl, and the damage felt like a bullet to Jack's heart. There was noise, there was men screaming, and the Black Pearl was slowly falling to pieces before his eyes as the shots kept firing, and the noises startled the sea itself.

Jack saw bodies… some were dismantled scraps of flesh that laid across the deck, wooden planks between their skulls and blood staining the deck. Jack was not phased… but the most pain was coming from the damage The Black Pearl was taking. Jack saw some of his best men fall into the sea after more cannons ripped apart The Black Pearl. It was too much for Jack to handle, and it felt like a nightmare… a long, painful, unending night terror that would not escape his vision, and it felt almost as though a piece of him were being torn apart as he saw each wooden plank, each splinter of wood crumble in front of him.

There was the screaming again, and he could feel a sudden shift, and soon, the water began to rise up above his feet and it soaked his boots, threatening to rise even higher. The cannons stopped… and _The__Black__Pearl_ was already finished. She could no longer hold herself up over the waters that began to swallow her whole now, and she fell ever so slowly.

Jack hadn't realized that he was sobbing now. The tears just kept falling, and the more the Black Pearl slipped into the sea, the more the tears fell. Jack prayed for rain. He cursed the sky, cursed the heavens because tonight was such a beautiful night… with a full moon that shone so beautifully in the sky, and the light from the stars gave a wonderful reflection. Jack wanted rain… why, of all the nights to sink… was it fated he sink now? On this gorgeous night, when there was not a cloud in the sky.

Barbossa approached, his clothes were soaked and dripping with brine. On his face was pasted a fearsome scowl and he glared at Jack with such a hatred that it could have burned a hole right through the Captain's chest… but Jack was too busy wallowing in his loss for his_Pearl_ that he did not notice.

Bootstrap approached them both, and he grabbed onto Jack's shoulder's viciously to pull the sobbing Captain to his feet.

"Jack!" He cried, "Jack, we've got to abandon 'er!" But Jack stayed solid as a rock, and he did not budge… He only stood where he was, tears streaming down his cheeks, wetting his braided beard, and causing the kohl under his eyes to form deep streaks. He couldn't abandon _The__Black__Pearl_… it'd be like leaving his own child to drown at sea.

"…N-no." Jack mumbled.

"Fer cryin' a'loud!" Barbossa budged in, growling with a viciousness that would have normally scared Jack… or frightening him to say the least. "… Jack would rather pluck 'is own eyes out and eat them raw than leave this bloody ship!" A statement that would have made Jack order Barbossa to hard, physical labor… but Jack was still lost. It was still not getting through to his head that _The__Black__Pearl_ was sinking.

They sank… Lower and lower into the sea. The water had finally reached their waists and they felt as though they were no longer standing fully on solid ground.

"Jack!" Mr. Gibbs yelled. But… the Captain had only a far-off gaze in his eye, and he turned to Gibbs and murmured,

"Gibbs… I only ever wanted t'be a good pirate. Like me father an' all…" He sighed. But Mr. Gibbs took the time to listen to what Jack had to say. "… He never died at sea. He cheated death a thousand times over! … I thought I could do it a _million_ times over…"

"If ye compare yerself with others… you may become vain or bitter." Gibbs spoke. He wasn't so much speaking directly at Jack, no… more like reciting a fact he had learned. They sunk… and the water reached their throats now. Barbossa, Bootstrap, Jack and Gibbs waded above the water helplessly, accepting their deaths with dignity and grace…

. . .

They were only suspended in the water for a few, brief moments… before they were suddenly raised up from the seas and placed back onto a few dry spots of the remains of _The__Black__Pearl._There were murmurs at first… faint noises. Scuttlebutt. Laughter… Soft, sadistic tones of laughter, and a sudden brightness that shone… Blinding their eyes and making them squint.

Jack, Barbossa, Bootstrap and Gibbs opened their eyes… though; their vision was still hazy from being underwater so long. They were standing now, on fresh, solid ground. Jack was panting heavily, and coughing up water that had snuck into his lungs while he was drowning. An odd scent filled his nostrils… a smoke of some sort, yet not the smoke of gunpowder, or even the smell of burning incense. No… this had an exotic scent, something Jack could not put his finger on.

Then, the sound of feet walking across wood… Jack's vision cleared, as did Barbossa's and Gibbs' but what their eyes saw was not welcoming in the slightest…

"… Do you fear death?" A voice croaked. The moonlight shone a little brightly, and Jack could focus clearly on the… creature standing in front of him. Something what resembled a man, with a squid body for a face… tentacles wiggled in all directions, as he took a long, drag from his wooden pipe. The man had only one working hand… the other… a claw of a crab. He was so hideously deformed that Jack averted his eyes, while Gibbs… Gibbs began to pray to Mother Mary…

None of the men knew how to answer… but Jack spoke quickly,

"What do you have to offer?"

A smile spread across the fish face, tentacles calming somewhat.

"Do you fear death…?"

"Would a man… who steals from _Sir William Jackson_…" Jack began, a grin pasted to his face, "… fear death?" This peaked Jones' interest, and Jack knew that he had won. Sir William Jackson was a traitor to all pirates, but take it as you may… he was one of the best. Not a single creature, beast nor man, would dare, DARE take on Sir William Jackson. Jones was figuring either how big of a fool Jack was, or how great of a pirate he calls himself.

. . .

Jack, always had such a way with words… oh, especially when it came to his beloved _Pearl._ He was desperate to retrieve her back, and here, standing in front of him, was a man who had the power to control the sea… The man, who, if could be persuaded ever so nicely, he could coax into raising the _Black__Pearl_ from the depths…

And that was just so.

"Th'arteen years." Davy Jones spat. "Th'arteen years as Captain an t'is all, Sparrah."

Jack was overjoyed. Yet, he held back his excitement… "I owe ya, mate."

"Th'arteen years!" Jones reminded. "Should be e'ou'h time fer you an' yer crewmates ta bring down Sir William Jackson." Jack tipped his hat to the mutation of a man, and swiftly, Davy Jones and his crew slipped back into the sea, leaving the freshly risen and restored deck of the _Black__Pearl._

The four men stared at the open sea in front of them. Warmth welled inside of Jack's heart, and he nearly melted onto the deck, so overcome by relief that his Pearl was unharmed. A voice, far off in the distance called to him, at first… but his mind was so far away, he could not hear what was being said. He tried to focus his thoughts… The voice became clearer… it was Gibbs,

"- need a crew, Sir…"

"Oh." Jack mumbled. He glanced around, realizing now, that the ship was empty… too empty without the rest of his crew. The Pearl was purely silent… as was only occupied by only Bootstrap Bill, Barbossa, Gibbs, and himself. He whined softly in his throat. A groan followed soon after, as the realization hit with a sudden force. Almost his entire crew had been claimed by the sea… the crew that he grew to love and acknowledge as second family. His only friends. He knew no one else. He wouldn't have the time to recruit a whole new crew, either.. no, not like the crew he had sailed with before. No one could replace the friends he shared voyages with on his Pearl.

"Sir…" Bootstrap said. "We'll need to make port as soon as we can. We're very low on supply."

"Tortuga." Jack mumbled, still hesitate, and worrying over where he'd find a new crew.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes:<p>

Thanks for putting up with my slowness. I love you.

- Rawiyah


End file.
